January 22 was another stressful day for the members of Bloxom Volunteer Fire Department. If it wasn't enough to bear with their station burning down last week, an ambulance that another department gave them on loan was involved in a crash Sunday.
Chief Jody Bagwell of Bloxom Volunteer Fire Department said he was riding in the front passenger seat of the ambulance writing down numbers when a vehicle pulled out in front them.
"I shouted-look out!" Bagwell said, "but it was too late." The vehicle was already in the path of the ambulance and the two collided.
Bloxom rescue was responding to a call.
"Fortunately," said Chief Bagwell,"there weren't any serious injuries, but the ambulance was pretty much totalled."
Emotions are running deep in the hearts of Bloxom's Bravest as they faithfully continue to try to serve their community in spite of it all. This hardy group of Virginia's Bravest are determined not to give up. "We're down right now," Bagwell said, "but we are not out!"
Without a fire home Bloxom's Bravest continue to respond to every call they can, anyway they can. "We have the ladder truck and a engine. We have crews. If the citizen's need us, we're going," Bagwell said in a protective tone.
And the Chief of this department is as good as his word. Saturday afternoon, Bagwell responded to vehicle fire in his Chief's car. The citizen in distress recognized him and was shocked the Chief had responded. Bagwell took it all in stride and simply said to the citizen, "Of course I'm coming. It might take me a little longer to get here, but I'm coming."
Once again the department showed incrediable fortitude and character on Sunday when after the ambulance crash, instead of taking five and resting the rest of the day, they responded to a structure fire.
Chief Bagwell has been conducting inventory and the damage estimates are climbing. "Our damages are now at $1.5 million and probably are $2 million at least," Bagwell explained. "Our insurance will cover $600,000, but for the rest of the losses we are on our own. The insurance payment isn't even definite, it's pending. There are loans on our apparatus so borrowing on them is also out."
The station had just purchased fifty complete sets of much needed turnout gear. "We received a FEMA Grant for $60,000," Bagwell said. "It was used for the much needed gear. Except for what the crew was wearing at the structure fire we were fighting the night our station burned, all the new gear was lost."
Bagwell quietly paused for a moment then said," There have been some special moments in all of this. A group from a Delaware Fire Station came all the way to Bloxom and brought us some things. It really meant a lot that they took time to do that for us. The Delaware firefighters had their station burn down and they said they knew where we were at right now and how we felt."
The department is asking anyone who may have a surplus or an extra ambulance that they might be able to borrow for a while. Since they lost both of their EMS units in the fire, they have very little supplies to outfit the units that they are borrowing.
The Chief said plans are on building two temporary buildings in the Bloxom town square to house their EMS units and firefighters will need any kind of building materials that might be available.
Bagwell says they need helments, gloves, nomex hoods, boots and turnout gear bags to help keep them functioning especially since their members are operating out of their homes.
The station lost three computers, radios, and all supplies that were housed at the station.
"We just want to be able to watch over our people (citizens)," Bagwell said.
Chief Jody Bagwell has served as Bloxom's Chief for seven years. Bagwell and his wife just had a baby born on Christmas Day.
Contributions can be made to:
Bloxom Volunteer Fire Department,
Attention:Building Fund
P.O.Box 132
Bloxom, Virginia 23308
To contact Chief Jody Bagwell (757)710-0408
The fire is still under investigation, Inventory of damages is ongoing and no word has been released by police if the driver of the vehicle involved in the ambulance crash will be charged.
